Breast surgery including medical and cosmetic surgeries involves surgical intervention in the breast and nearby regions. Cosmetic surgery may include, for example, breast reduction surgery, augmentation mammoloplasty, mastopexy or breast lift surgery. Medical breast surgery may include, for example, lumpectomy, and mastectomy.
Mastectomy is surgery to remove a breast, either to treat or to prevent breast cancer. There are four main types of mastectomy: Total mastectomy (removal of breast tissue and nipple); Modified radical mastectomy (removal of the breast, most of the lymph nodes under the arm and often the lining over the chest muscles); Lumpectomy (surgery to remove the tumor and a small amount of normal tissue around it); and Radical mastectomy (the removal of the breast, lymph nodes and chest muscles).
After a mastectomy, a patient may use a prosthetic device to provide symmetry to their body, in case there is no breast reconstitution. Such prosthetic devices are made with a specially designed pocket in each cup and silicone breast forms slipped inside the relevant pocket, where it is held firmly in place against the body for a natural recreation of symmetry. Designed especially for this purpose, a mastectomy bra may also be made with features similar to traditional bras, such as both front or back hook closures and a choice of satin, lace, or cotton. An example of a prosthetic device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,885 which includes, in addition to the prosthetic elements, also a fluid drainage system for removal of fluids after breast surgery.
In addition, post surgery breast or chest bandages or recovery devices are known, irrespective of whether a breast or part thereof was removed and reconstituted. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,741 describes a surgical chest dressing constructed of a chest encircling flexible band formed from a stretchable material and different support structures.
In addition, US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0275635 describes a post surgical medical device tightened about a patient's thorax using bandage bands that cross the patient's thorax many times, to give proper containment of the device without the need of adhesive tapes.
Finally, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP2007332520 describes a post surgical brassiere with means for cooling a patient's breasts or armpits for reducing swelling during or after radiation therapy.